What Are the Types of Nuts and Their Nutritional Values?

The main difference between nut and dried-fruit types comes down to what part of the plant they are: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios are all tree nuts, dried apricots and raisins are fruit with most of the water removed, while sunflower and pumpkin seeds are, simply, seeds. Each group differs from the others in both taste and nutritional make-up.

When comparing nutrition, the three figures people usually look at are fat content, protein, and calories per serving. Tree nuts are rich in unsaturated fat and protein, while dried fruit gets most of its energy from natural sugar rather than fat.

What types of nuts and dried fruit are there?

Among tree nuts, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios and cashews are the most commonly eaten; what they share is a single kernel protected by a hard shell. Dried fruit includes apricots, raisins, figs and dates, made by removing most of the water from the fresh fruit, which raises the natural sugar concentration well above the fresh version. Seeds such as sunflower and pumpkin seeds are usually sold still in their shells and need shelling before eating.

How do their nutritional values compare?

100 grams of walnuts contain roughly 650 calories, almonds around 580, and hazelnuts about 630 — in all three, most of that energy comes from unsaturated fat. Dried apricots and raisins sit lower, between 250 and 300 calories per 100 grams, and that energy comes mostly from natural sugar rather than fat. In terms of protein, almonds and pistachios provide 18 to 21 grams per 100 grams, which makes them more filling than dried fruit gram for gram.

How much should you eat a day?

For tree nuts, the usual guideline is a small handful a day, around 30 grams — enough to get a meaningful amount of unsaturated fat without piling on extra calories. Dried fruit calls for a smaller portion, since its sugar is far more concentrated than fresh fruit; three or four dried apricots, or a small handful of raisins, is a reasonable daily limit. For salted roasted nuts, the second factor to watch is sodium, so unsalted or lightly salted versions are the better everyday choice.

Raw or roasted — which is better?

Raw nuts keep more of their original nutrients than roasted ones, though a light home roast brings out more flavour and can make them easier to digest. To roast at home, heat the oven to 150°C, spread the nuts in a single layer on a tray, and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring partway through — that timing works well for hazelnuts and almonds, while walnuts turn bitter faster and should be checked at 6 to 7 minutes. Because of their high fat content, a few extra minutes in the oven is enough to burn them if you're not watching.

In short

Anyone watching calories may prefer tree nuts over dried fruit, while someone after a filling snack might reach for almonds or pistachios for the protein. Either way, the portion is best kept to a small handful, and salted or sugar-coated versions are worth limiting.